The 30th Istanbul Film Festival Concludes

Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts and sponsored by Akbank, the 30th Istanbul Film Festival’s Golden Tulip Awards have found their owners at the closure gala and the awards ceremony which took place at Lütfi Kırdar Convention and Exhibition Centre, on Saturday evening, April 16th.

The closure gala and the awards ceremony were presented by Memet Ali Alabora, and broadcast live on NTV. Throughout the gala Şevval Sam took the stage with a colourful program consisting of tangos.

The International Competition Golden Tulip Award, which has been given at the Istanbul Film Festival since 1985, has been presented in memory of Şakir Eczacıbaşı with the support of the Eczacıbaşı Group since two years. The International Competition Golden Tulip Award is also supported with a 25,000 Euro monetary award also given by the Eczacıbaşı Group. 10,000 Euro is given to the director who wins the Golden Tulip Award, the Turkish company to distribute the film receives 10,000 Euros, and the remaining 5,000 Euros is presented to the film that receives the Special Jury Prize.

This year, “the Golden Tulip International Competition Award” presented in memory of Şakir Eczacıbaşı was given to the Egyptian director Ahmad Abdalla’s “Microphone.” The winner of the award was announced by Claire Denis, the Jury President of the Golden Tulip International Competition, and the award itself was also presented by Denis. The 25,000 Euro monetary award, given by the Eczacıbaşı Group was presented by Ilkay Yildirim, the Director of Eczacıbaşı Holding Corporate Communications and the General Secretary of Dr. Nejat F. Eczacıbaşı Foundation.

In the International Competition, the “Special Jury Prize” was given ex aequo to Seyfi Teoman’s “Bizim Büyük Çaresizliğimiz / Our Grand Despair,” and Federico Veiroj’s “A Useful Life.” The awards were handed to the directors by the Golden Tulip International Competition Jury Members, Italian actress Anna Bonaiuto, and Jim Stark.

“The Golden Tulip Best Turkish Film of the Year” award is given to Tayfun Pirselimoğlu’s film Saç / Hair. The award was presented to the director by the Golden Tulip International Competition Jury President, scriptwriter and director Reha Erdem.

“The Golden Tulip Best Director of the Year” award was also given to the director of Saç / Hair, Tayfun Pirselimoğlu. The award was handed to the director by the Jury President Reha Erdem.

Sedat Yılmaz’ film Press was deemed to deserve the “Special Jury Prize” of the National Competition. The director was handed his award by the Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member, writer and film critic Fatih Özgüven. This year for the first time, the Special Jury Prize is supported by a monetary award of 30,000 TL.

The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism gives 150,000 TL to the Golden Tulip winner of the Best Turkish Film, and 50,000 TL to the winner Best Director Award.

“The Best Actress” award was given to Nazan Kesal with her performance at Saç / Hair. Her award was presented to the actress by Tansu Biçer, who received “The Best Actor” award last year with the film Five Cities.

This year “The Best Actor Award”, was received by Ahmet Mekin with his performance in Görünmeyen / Unseen. The actor received his award from the Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member and actress Tülin Özen. Award-winning actor and actresses receive 10,000 TL each from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

In this year’s National Competition, Belma Baş with her film Zefir / Zephyr was deemed to deserve “The Best Screenplay of The Year Award.” Belma Baş took her award from the Golden Tulip International Competition Jury Member, writer Perihan Mağden.

“The Best Director of Photography” award in the Istanbul Film Festival’s National Competition was given to Birgit Gudjonsdottir with her film Bizim Büyük Çaresizliğimiz / Our Grand Despair by Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member and Variety critic Jay Weissberg.

In the Golden Tulip National Competition “The Best Music Award” was given to Ahmet Kenan Bilgiç with the film Atlıkarınca / Merry-Go-Round by the Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member, Karlovy Vary Film Festival Artistic Director Karel Och.

The International Federation of Film Critics FIPRESCI Awards were given to Tran Anh Hung’s film Noruwei No Mori / Norwegian Wood in the International Competition, and to Sedat Yılmaz with his film Press in the National Competition. The awards were handed to the directors by FIPRESCI Jury President and the Singaporean critic Philip Cheah and Nil Kural.

The Festival’s “Turkish Cinema” theme sponsor Efes, gave a monetary award of $30,000 to the director of Press, Sedat Yılmaz, to be used toward his next film. Efes Turkey Public Relations Manager Durul Candemir presented the special award to the director.

The Film Award of the Council of Europe FACE, presented in scope of “Human Rights in Cinema” competition, was deemed to be deserved by the film As If I’m Not There by Juanita Wilson. After the speech delivered by Ambassador Daryal Batıbay Permanent Representative for Turkey at the Council of Europe, the FACE award statuette and the 10,000 Euro monetary award, given in cooperation with the Council of Europe and Euroimages, were presented. The director of the film recieved her award from Scandar Copti, the president of FACE Jury, and the recipient of last year’s FACE Award with his film Ajami.

In the scope of “Human Rights in Cinema” competition, the Special Jury Prize was deemed to be deserved by the film titled Press. Scandar Copti and director of co-operation in the Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs of the Council of Europe, Marja Ruotanen presented the award to the director of the Press, Sedat Yılmaz.

The People’s Choice Award, given by the Radikal Newspaper, is presented both in the scope of the national and the international competitions, and determined by the votes of the audience. The Radikal Newspaper General Publishing Director Eyüp Can Sağlık announced the winners of the People’s Choice Award. In the International Competition Seyfi Teoman’s Bizim Büyük Çaresizliğimiz / Our Grand Despair, and in the National Competition İlksen Başarır’s film Atlıkarınca / Merry-Go-Round won the awards. A drawing between the voters of Radikal People’s Chocie Award will determine two lucky festival followers who will travel to the Rome Film Festival as guests of Radikal Newspaper.

After the 30th Istanbul Film Festival Awards Ceremony was completed the guests watched Susanne Bier’s Oscar-winning drama In A Better World.

The 30th Istanbul Film Festival events continued with an after party organised at Pera Palace hosted by Efes Turkey. The festival’s national and international guests, the actors and directors of the films that competed for the Golden Tulip, film professionals as well as the distinguished figures of film circles attended the party.

On Saturday April 17, the winner of the Golden Tulip in the National Competition Saç / Hair will be screened once more at Fitaş 1 Movie Theatre, at 13.30 pm, and Microphone which won the Golden Tulip Award in the International Competition will be screened at 16.00 in the same hall.

The 30th Istanbul Film Festival will end on Sunday evening after the 21.30 screenings at seven festival movie theatres.